Giants WR Cruz has come a long way

Saturday

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Watching Victor Cruz on the field, he doesn't seem to have a care in the world. There is always a smile, a laugh and, in good times, the salsa.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Watching Victor Cruz on the field, he doesn't seem to have a care in the world. There is always a smile, a laugh and, in good times, the salsa.

The second-year New York Giants receiver is having one of those breakthrough seasons. He's already broken the Giants' single-season record for yards receiving, becoming one of the NFL's big-play threats. He's scored on a record-setting 99-yard touchdown against the local rival Jets last weekend, and has endeared himself to the 80,000 patrons of MetLife Stadium with his electrifying touchdowns, followed by celebrations with a Latin flair.

Even a routine catch of an Eli Manning pass is greeted by long sustained cries of “CRUISE.” Not bad for an undrafted free agent who twice was asked to leave the University of Massachusetts because of grades.

For a 25-year-old who grew up 15 or so minutes from the Meadowlands, it's pinch-me stuff.

It's also a dream that had so many chances of never coming true growing up in Paterson, an urban city marred by drug problems, gangs, and employment in the 16 percent range, according to city councilman Benjie Wimberly, Cruz's football coach at Paterson Catholic.

“I's not an easy place for someone to grow up in,” Wimberly said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Cruz, the son of an African-American father and Hispanic mother, remembers nights either sitting in his home or walking the neighborhood, and hearing gunshots in the vicinity.

“It's still pretty surreal,” Cruz said as the Giants prepared for their NFC East title showdown with the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. “I wake up every day and just pinch myself and kind of think about how far I have come and all the stuff I have done. I didn't anticipate having this kind of season, I just wanted to come in and hopefully do some things well and find my place, and to now have my place in history, it's just been crazy.”

Cruz's statistics border on the insane, considering he's technically the Giants' No. 3 receiver behind Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. The second-year wideout has 76 catches for 1,358 yards and eight touchdowns. He is averaging nearly 18 yards a reception and this week was selected a second alternate to the Pro Bowl despite not being on the fan ballot.

With the Giants' season in the balance, he single-handedly turned the momentum in their 29-14 win over the Jets by catching a 10-yard, third-down hook pass and slipping between two tacklers en route to a team-record 99-yard touchdown.

“You catch the ball and you try to feel where the defenders are,” Cruz said. “I just make a move and try to get as many yards as a I can. I kind of pride myself on that because I try to make myself as hard to tackle as possible. The more yards I get after the catch, the closer we get to the end zone. Or if I can score, all the better.”

“I have jokingly said that he giveth and taketh away on a play-to-play basis,” Gilbride said. “In all honesty, he has grown over the last three or four weeks. There haven't been any mistakes and he has made some terrific reads. It is really impressive to me to see the growth that has taken place. What I think is that there will be fewer and fewer mistakes as the year goes on providing that he stays healthy and everything else becomes faster. I don't see any reason why he won't continue to get better and better.”

As the season has progressed, some teams have given him more attention, while others have played him straight up.

In the game against the Cowboys three weeks ago, Gilbride said Dallas did something that he hasn't seen in more than two decades in coaching. The Cowboys had defenders treat Cruz like a gunner on punt returns, double-teaming him so he could not get off the line of scrimmage.

Cruz still had seven catches for 83 yards, including five for 57 yards in the fourth quarter, when the Giants rallied from a 34-22 deficit to a 37-34 win.

“I think I am pretty proven, statistically,” Cruz said. “I just try to go into every game playing it straight up and just play my game.”

Wimberly said Cruz was like most Paterson Catholic teenagers. He wanted to play on what was a very good basketball team.

“He was a super talented athlete who was just one of the guys on the basketball team,” Wimberly said. “We realized he had the athletic ability and talent to play football, and with his size, he would really make a difference.”

Cruz made a difference in high school but struggled early in college, in part because of the sudden death of his father. He was twice sent home and had to take some courses on the internet.

“A lot of it had to do with me being a knucklehead and mom not being there and me being on my own,” Cruz said.

Cruz eventually finished his college career with 131 catches despite not starting a game until his junior year. He was signed by the Giants as a free agent and gained national attention catching three touchdowns in a preseason game against the Jets. His rookie season ended early after he was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

He's making $450,000 this year, hardly what his statistics would say he is worth.

In less than a year, Cruz has become a role model for Hispanic football players and he hopes more turn their attention to football.

“Culturally it hasn't been a Hispanic-dominated sport,” Cruz said. “I think with myself and Tony Gonzalez and guys like that, it should be key to causing an increase.”

One thing that hasn't changed despite the success is Cruz. He is still the down-to-earth guy who works to help his community. Two weeks ago, Wimberly said Cruz was at a dinner for 600 homeless people in Paterson and he followed that by giving a pregame speech for a winless football team at Paterson Eastside.. They won the game.

“You name it, from high school stuff and anything I call him for,” Wimberly said, “he's there.”

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